Initially i just felt bad for the Greeks. Although conquered, they had a relatively comfortable life under Croesus's rule. As long as they payed their taxes, they were free to just sort of live their lives. And then hell broke loose, and Persia had to conquer the medes. It's no wonder the greeks were not fond of Cyrus, i only wish that their attempts at revolution had succeeded. I would have probably attempted to get out of town, or sailed to Italy. I didn't initially understand Darius, if he was so lenient and generous, why did everyone want to revolt? Why did Aristagoras try to take over? I'm glad he failed, and a lot of greek cities gained back some temporary freedom, but i felt myself constantly asking: What was the point of that? It must just be the desire for power, but still it seems that a lot of these plans set forth by sudden tyrants or rulers just crumbled and fail.
It also sucks, that Athens eventually lost her empire, i agree that it was detrimental, because a united nation seems to work better than lots of little independant city-states with a uniform agreement on what the rules should be.
I felt the Peloponnesian war was very important, it brought about the disillusionment about gods. I think it's healthier for humanity for a whole to realize that it's the men that decide how life goes, and not some absent Deity.
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Dating back to 1400 BC, the Oracle of Delphi was the most important shrine in all Greece, and in theory all Greeks respected its independence. Built around a sacred spring, Delphi was considered to be the omphalos - the center (literally navel) of the world.
People came from all over Greece and beyond to have their questions about the future answered by the Pythia, the priestess of Apollo. And her answers, usually cryptic, could determine the course of everything from when a farmer planted his seedlings, to when an empire declared war.
For more information see http://www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/background/7_p1.html
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